Progress in Delhi-Katra Expressway, Land Hurdles Remain

04 Sep 2024 CW Team

In a significant development for the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway project, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has successfully acquired land in three Ludhiana district villages, addressing earlier acquisition issues. This progress marks a crucial step forward for the ambitious project, which promises to improve travel times between major cities in North India.

The recently acquired land includes portions in Chhapar, Dhurkot, and Juraha villages, totaling 6 kilometers of the expressway's route. This achievement reduces the number of problematic villages from 13 to 10. The compensation rate for land has also seen an increase, with farmers now receiving approximately Rs 80 lakh per acre, up from the previous Rs 43 lakh, following an arbitrator?s approval.

Despite this progress, NHAI continues to face challenges in acquiring land across ten villages in Ludhiana district. This area is crucial as it constitutes a 12-13 kilometer stretch of the expressway.

Overall, NHAI reports that 31% of the work between Malerkotla and Ludhiana has been completed, with a target completion date of December 31, 2025. The stretch from Ludhiana to Phillaur has seen 57.04% of its work finished, with an expected completion by September 30, 2025.

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney stated that efforts are ongoing to resolve the land acquisition issues in the remaining villages, aiming to avoid further delays in the project's timeline.

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